Tube-clamp for oil-wells



(No Model.)

W. O. WELLS. TUBE CLAMP FOR OIL WELLS, &0.

No. 352,724. Patented NOV. 16,1886.

enz ar Q07 'Mafl/ N. PETERS. PhuloJ-hngnphsr. Wadlingim, D C.

rid supporting pipes or other bodies; and it ,consists in the tongshereinafter described, 'which,while capable of other applications, are

in or above wells.

,or pumps in a vertical position when being may be pivoted in thehead B,as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

UNITED STATES WILLET 'OLWELLS,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF TIFFIN, ()HIQ.

TUBE-CLAMP FOR OIL-WELLS, aw.

CPECIFECATBJN forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,724; dated November16, 1886.

Application filed March 22, 1886.

Serial No. 196.165. (No model.)

.To otZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLET O. WnLLs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tiffin, in the county of Seneca and State ofOhio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tube-Clamps forOil-Wells, 85s., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tongs for clutching specially adapted to use insupporting pipes lowered into or withdrawn from or supported Figure l isa plan view of my device when supporting a pipe in a vertical position.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing a modified form of thepivoted inner jaw. Fig. 3 is a plan view of this modified form ofinner.jaw. Fig. 4t is a side view of the pivoted inner jaw or sheave, as shownin Fig. 1.

A is the main arm of the tongs, having at its working end a hook orjaw,which is preferably formed with a V-shaped working face. To the sameside of this arm as that on which the jaw is projected I pivot theauxiliary arm B, so that it oscillates in a plane transverse to that inwhich thejaw of the main arm is projected. This auxiliary arm issufficiently shorter than the main arm (with respect to their extensionforward of the pivotal point) to afford space for the pipe or other bodyto be clutched between its forward face or head and the jaw of the mainarm. In the forward face of this shorter arm I journal a sheave, D, sothat its rotation is in the plane of oscillation of the arm. This sheaveconstitutes an inner pivoted jaw opposing the hook or outer jaw of thelarger arm.

Instead of the sheave, a jaw of other shape The operation of the tongsis as follows: The tongs being suitably supported, the auxiliary arm isoscillated on its pivot, so as to raise its abutting or working faceabove and away from the jaw of the main arm, thus enabling the pipeorotherbody (shown as E) to be inserted in the jaw. The working-face orinner jaw of the shorter arm (illustrated by D and F) is then lowered,so as to come incontact with E, which will cause E to be gripped betweenit and the opposing jaw, the weight of E only servingto tighten thegrip. E will then be firmly supported until it is desired to raise orlower it, when it is readily released by a very slight downward pressureon the outer or rear end of B. I thus obtain a very effectiveapplication of the lever-power to the grip,while making the tongspractically selflocking. In order to make these tongs adjustable todifferent sizes of pipe or other bodies, I make B adjustable forward andbackward through the pivotal support, which serves as its fulcrum.

C in the drawings representsanut or collar which is pivoted in the mainarm A, and in which B is supported. By providing B with a screw-threadit can be readily adjusted through this nut. in order to effect thisadjustment, B has first to be sufficiently turned on its pivot toloringits head above the plane of A, when it can be readily screwed in eitherdirection. \Vhen Bis in working position that is, approximately in thesame plane as A, but slightly above the samethe abutment between thehead of B and the adjacent side of A will lock B against any rotation inits nut or collar 0. Other means of adjusting B forward and backwardthrough its pivotal support may be provided; orthe point of pivotalsupport in A may itself be adjusted forward or backward; but I preferthe arrangement shown. By making the interior of the jaw of A in V shapeI secure the centering of the pipe to be gripped directly opposite thesheave or abutting surface of B, irrespective of the size of the pipe. 7

It is obvious that some of the advantages of my invention may beobtained by usinga solid abutting surface on the head of B, instead ofthe sheave D or pivoted jaw F; but the double leverage obtained by meansof this sheave or pivoted jaw greatly facilitates the release of thegrip, and is otherwise animportant feature.

I claiml. Gripping-tongs having alateral project ing V-shaped jaw on themain arm and an auxiliary arm pivotally connected to the main arm on theside on which the jaw is projected, .so as to oscillate in a planetransverse to that in which the main jawis projected, and opposing itshead or forward end to the main jaw, for the purpose described.

2. In gripping'tongs, the combination of an arm having a lateral jaw, anarm pivoted to the inner side of said last mentioned arm and oscillatingin a plane transverse to that in which said jaw is projected. and aninner jaw pivoted to the head of the oscillating arm,

for the purpose described.

3. In grippingtongs, the combination of an arm having a lateral jaw andan arm pivoted to the inner side of said first-mentioned arm,oscillating in a plane transverse to that in which said jaw isprojected, and having journaled in its head, opposite to said jaw, asheave, for the purpose described.

4.. The combination, in gripping-tongs, of an arm having a lateraljaw.an arm pivoted to escillate in a plane transversely to that in whichsaid jaw is projected and presenting its head as an offset to said jaw,and a pivotal support for said last-mentioned arm. through which thesame is adj usable to adapt it to grip differentsized bodies, for thepurpose described.

5. The combination, in gripping-tongs, ofan arm with a lateral jaw andan arm pivotally attached thereto, oscillating in a plane transverse tothat in which saidjaw is projecterhand having a head which affords anoffset to saidjaw when said arms are adjusted with'reference to eachother, to bring the head and jaw nearer to or farther from each other,for the purpose described.

6. The arms of gripping tongs pivotally united to each other by means ofa collar, through which one arm passes and which has its pivotal bearingin the other arm, for the purpose described.

7. The arms ofgripping-tongs pivotally connected with each other bymeans of a collar, throughwhich one arm is adjustable forward andbackward, and which hasa pivotal bearing in the other arm, for thepurpose described.

8. The arms of'gripping-tongs pivotally connected by means oi'acollar,through which one ol'them is adjustable forward and backward bymeans ofascrew-thread on said arnnand which is pivoted in the other arm,for the purpose described.

9. The gripping-tongs having a lateral V- shaped jaw on one arm and anarm pivotally connected to said first'mentioned arm, oscillating in aplane transverse to that in which said jaw is proj ected, and havingjournaled in its head a gripping-jaw which by said oscillation isbrought opposite said first-mentioned jaw when said arms are adjustablethrough their pivotal connection, to bring saidjaws nearer to or fartherfrom each other, for the purpose described.

XVILLET G. ELLS.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. VVELLs, 11m E. STRONG.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 352,724.\\

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 352,724, grantedNovember 16, 1886, upon the application of Willet 0. Wells, of Tiffin,Ohio, for an improvement in Tube- Clamps for Oil-Wells, 850., an errorappears in the printed specification requiring the following correction:In line 6, page 1, the Words Tube-Clamps for Oil-Wells, 8110.,

should be stricken out and the words Grip-Tongs inserted instead; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction thereinthat the same conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 18th day of January, A. D. 1887.

' D. L. HAWKINS,

[SEAL] Acting Secretary of the Interior.

Oountersigned:

R. BwVANCE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

